Robot Aviation is a Norwegian company with US offices. SkySkopes was started in Grand Forks.

"Minot is correctly branded as the 'Gatweay to the Bakken,'" said SkySkopes President and CEO Matt Dunlevy. "When we want to fly unmanned aircraft for oil and gas purposes, the Bakken represents the second best market in the whole of the United States."

Dunlevy said the drones will be used to inspect oil facilities and power lines in the Bakken. And he said the future looks good for the UAV industry.

"The comparison to the smart-phone industry that the drone industry draws frequently I think is apt," Dunlevy said. "It will take partnerships and perseverance, but there is a future for UAS."

A joint project between UND’s Office of Research and Economic Development and SkySkopes, Incorporated, could lead to a new use for drones.

The plan is to equip the small, low-altitude drones with thermal sensors to collect energy audit data on North Dakota University System buildings. That information will allow the campuses to assess costs of thermal leaks in buildings.